Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-29

ALBANY Cor. to Ogdensburg Journal
"reminiscences of the late poet SAKE are
now in order. ! have few that have
strayed to me during the past few years
from place in Kentucky where he was
in the habit of visiting. On such occas-
ions he was more than usually free to ex
press himself in regard to his family OF
his own children he never tired of talking;
of gentle Laura, whom even the balmy air
of Florida could not snatch from the fam-
ly destroyer-consumptlon of Sarah, his
counterpart whose brief life gave promise
of remarkable.gifts. Miss Sarah was GER
tainly her fathers idol, although she lived
perpetually in defiance of his most cher
ished plans for her benefit Two Incl
dents Mr. SAKE was fond of telling as illus
trative of her force of will and indepen-
dence of character.
1t was the custom of the SAKE family to
spend the warmest part of the summer at
Saratoga, that watering place being near
enough to Albany Oheir home) to make
their sojourn feasible. 1t was decided, one
particular summer, that Sarah should re
main at home in charge of the younger
children, instead of accompanying her pa
rents, as had been her former custom.
This decision reused the wrath of the
young lady and awakened all that latent
obstinacy which her father claimed for
her In vain she demonstrated her best
clothing was placed under lock and key
and her parents departed, charging her to
be "A good girl and to content herself until
their return. The season was at its height,
and many persons brilliantly conspicuous
in literary circles were gathered under the
watering place chandeliers. Sake held his
court at one end of the saloon, on one
August evening, and sat conveniently fac
ing the entrance door, when a servant an
nounced Miss Sake" The poet raised his
eye glass to behold Sarah, a miss of 16,
haughtily sweeping down. the grand parlor
dragging after.her, her mothers best win
ter gown of velvet, and glittering with
mothers trinketS 1t was warm work en-
during the heavy oppressive finery, but for
three days father and daughter held their
independent little courts at the famous
watering place, each ignoring the others
presence-a clear case of Greek meet
Greek" At the end OF that time Sarah
was ANONYMOUSLY taken home by her
father and duly punished.
A few years after the incident related
lovers began to seek Miss SAKE and to as
pre matrmonially toward that high
strung young lady. OF course SAKE was
fastidiOus, and the youth of Albany fire.
quently quailed before his piercing glance
and scornful words. AT length one found
favor with Sarah, and was encouraged to
come, after the father had peremptorily
closed the door in his face letters were in
tercepted and destroyed, ,uutl domestic
war ragged equal in fierceness to that of the
| "Roses." The father commanded, the
daughter defied, and the timid youth was
met by stealth, admitted through the
basement door and seen at all possible
| risks. Finally, one day. she having sup
| posed that her father was safely out o
town, Sarah admitted her lover to the
drawing-room, expecting the course of hei
true love to run exceedingly smooth
| Unexpectedly, however, the poet appeared
upon the scene, and expedited the sudder
departure by the toe of his boot. The low
er could never be induced to court again
even surreptitiously. One marked pecu
| llarity of Sarah's was her dislike to being
designated as John G.. SaXe's daughter,
a title not unfrequently applied to her
and as frequently corrected by Excuse
me, Miss Sake"
IN his lecturng days Mr.. SAKE wa:
much ionzed in Kentucky, and was es
pecially Indifferent to the indiscriminatt
"wineings and dineings' with which h
was beSet. Not unfrequently would h'
join IA tireside circle, having. abruptly lief
| the company gathered for his special bene
fit. Then it was that all present enjoyed
the full force of his genius, listened to hi
ready wit, and heard his most famou
poems as only the author could rende
them. The colossal poet stood, one foo
resting on the seat of chair, with hi
muscular arms crossed upon the back o
another, reciting, between the deliberat
puffs of his Havana, He was sentimental
even at 80, more fond of reciting his low
poems than the celebrated efforts of hi
genius. He was an especial admirer o
small women, this Hercules, and indite
many a rhythmic verse TO the ruby lips @
some slight lady whose charms attracte
him in his frequent wanderings. His wifi
was so small that she was easily whirlet
on her heel while standing under his out
stretched arm. Mr. SAKE and his brothe
Sollace, a prominent lawyer of Vermont